Sharapova shocked by Daria Gavrilova

World number two Maria Sharapova was knocked out in her opening match at the Miami Open hardcourt tournament on Thursday, shocked 6-7 (4/7), 3-6 by 97th-ranked Daria Gavrilova. Russia’s Gavrilova, who received a wild card into the main draw, needed one hour and 49 minutes to fashion the biggest upset so far in the combined WTA and ATP Masters tournament, which Sharapova has never won despite five trips to the final.

The defeat marked five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova’s worst in the event since she lost in the first round on her debut in 2003. The loss to an opponent who only broke into the top 100 in the world rankings on Monday puts Sharapova on the back foot with her early hardcourt season now history and a title defence on clay in Stuttgart coming up in a month.

The second-seeded Russian lost the opening set after nearly an hour and quickly found herself trailing the former junior world number one 4-1 in the second. Sharapova clawed a break back but was then broken to love as Gavrilova set herself up for the win with a 5-3 lead.

She calmly closed out the biggest win of her career on her first match point. Gavrilova lives and trains in Australia, where she is coached with funding from the Australian federation and is pursuing Australian citizenship. Number four seed Caroline Wozniacki lost just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 hammering of Madison Brengle, while seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat Anna Schmiedlova 6-4, 7-5.